Chapter 91

Sun Wu froze on the spot, a bead of sweat trickling from his forehead.

He had seen many Embroidered Uniform Guard members, but none were like Shen Qing.

Just then, the forest floor began to tremble, hoofbeats sounded continuously—it was Zhang Mo and Zhang Shan arriving.

Zhang Mo dismounted: "Bai Quan! Sun Wu! It's great that you're both alright!"

He then hurried over to Shen Qing: "Zhang Mo thanks you, Sir Shen!"

Shen Qing gave a faint nod, summoned the white tiger, mounted it, waved his hand, and the group continued toward Bei Yun Cheng.

Only then did Zhang Mo run to Sun Wu's side to check his injuries.

"You brat, you alright?"

Sun Wu rubbed his arm: "No problem! These Wokou were taught by my master's wife—hitting doesn't hurt."

"What's Sir Shen's background? Is he good or bad?"

This question made Zhang Mo grimace.

"I can't explain that right away."

"But after thinking it over, he should be considered good, just his methods aren't conventional!"

Although their voices were low, Shen Qing hadn't gone far, and he had also pondered that question.

"Am I really a good person or not?"

Looking at it subjectively, everything I do is just to achieve enlightenment; if evil people do wrong, I kill them—after all, killing yields skill points, I enjoy it, and I don't even have to endure the remaining guilt.

But if a good person provokes me, Shen Qing will also make him fly.

Objectively speaking, I've killed only corrupt officials, blood cultivators, Wokou, and disciples of the White Dragon Sect—at first glance, that's clearly a good person.

Sun Wu fell silent for a moment, then suddenly remembered something and hurriedly shouted.

"Sir Shen! Sir Shen! Wait! I suddenly remembered something I need to report to you!"

The white tiger at the front suddenly stopped.

Sun Wu hurried forward, with Bai Quan and Zhang Mo following behind.

Shen Qing glanced over: "What's the situation?"

Sun Wu gathered his thoughts and said: "Just now, while I and my junior brother were ambushing those Wokou, I overheard their conversation."

However, they were speaking Japanese, which I didn't quite understand, but the gist was that Embroidered Uniform Guard personnel had gone to look for them, and they also mentioned a place name several times—it was Three Mountain Village.

Shen Qing glanced at Sun Wu: "Do you still understand Japanese?"

Zhang Mo also gave Sun Wu an appreciative glance, "Nice, you thick-browed big-eyed guy, you're actually quite erudite!"

Sun Wu scratched his head embarrassedly: "Just a little, just a little."

"I learned it up in the mountains from my martial uncle, but I didn't master it."

Shen Qing pondered for a moment; in this Jia Shui Jun where Japanese pirates roam everywhere, he really needed someone who understood Japanese.

"Your name is Sun Wu, right? Do you and your martial brothers want to follow me?"

Sun Wu hesitated a bit, then spoke: "Sir, we haven't thought of leaving the Qingxin Observatory."

This is the rule of the Great Martial world's sects: those of the martial world cannot serve as officials in the court; if they do, it's tantamount to severing ties with the martial world, and later meeting with fellow sect members would be like strangers.

Shen Qing said: "Follow me to suppress the Japanese pirates; that doesn't count as entering the court."

Sun Wu was still hesitating; Zhang Mo, behind him, kept tugging hard at Bai Quan's sleeve, constantly giving eye signals.

"Agree! Agree! Out there, how many people would beg for this opportunity and still not get it!"

"Now Shen Qing himself is recruiting you! Are you still hesitating?"

Bai Quan gritted his teeth, choosing to trust Zhang Mo's judgment; after all, having spent several days together, he felt Zhang Mo wouldn't harm them.

Bai Quan stepped forward to stand beside Sun Wu, clasped his hands, and said: "We two brothers are willing to follow Commander Shen in suppressing the Japanese pirates!"

Seeing Bai Quan's stance, Sun Wu didn't say more, for he knew his junior martial brother had always been calmer and more thorough than himself.

Shen Qing nodded and waved his hand: "Old Li, bring two horses for them."

Shen Qing then looked at Zhang Mo: "What about you, do you want to come with me?"

Zhang Mo only felt his mouth dry, his palm clutching the corner of his clothes, feeling sweat on his palms.

"Me? I... can I too?"

"If you're not willing, that's fine too."

Zhang Mo's voice suddenly rose three degrees: "I'm willing!"

"I'm more than willing!"

Shen Qing waved his hand: "Alright, then mount up."

"The scholar looks at the map, lead the way to Three Mountain Village!"

"Go see those treacherous wretches."

Three Mountain Village.

This place was originally a small village, but now it has become a stronghold of a band of Japanese pirates.

And the villagers were all locked up.

The Japanese pirates, meanwhile, disguised themselves as villagers.

Today, however, an unusual guest has arrived here.

He is Xu Qiancai, a battalion commander of the Bei Yun City Garrison Office.

Outsiders all thought he had come on his own accord to kill, but in fact he is the great-grandson of Garrison Commander Xu Han.

He sat in a room, quietly drinking tea, his face showing some displeasure, and he looked at the guard, a Japanese pirate.

"Where is your leader? I've been here half a day—where is he?"

The Japanese pirate outside the door turned his head and glanced: "Wait a bit longer, our leader will be back."

Afterwards he softly cursed in Japanese.

A bereaved dog.

Xu Qiancai also couldn't understand what the Japanese pirates were saying; he wanted to go out, but the pirates locked him in the room and wouldn't let him move.

Anxious, he paced back and forth.

He always had a bad feeling, and as time passed, the feeling grew stronger.

Just as he was considering whether to leave, footsteps sounded outside.

The Japanese pirates outside also shouted, 'Chief!'

He saw a short but stocky man enter from outside, his face full of beard.

He was the pirates' chief, Yamamoto.

Yamamoto grinned and said, 'Are you Captain Xu Qiancai from North Cloud City?'

Xu Qiancai narrowed his eyes and said, 'Are you the chief here, Yamamoto?'

'Are you coming in place of Xu Han?'

'Yes, I'm coming in place of Deputy Commander Xu Han to make a deal with you.'

But Yamamoto narrowed his eyes.

'So it's Deputy Commander Xu who wants to trade—speak, what trade?'

Xu Qiancai said, 'You aren't hunting a genius from Great Wu, are you? I know of a genius who became a Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard at twenty.'

'I can give you his whereabouts, but I demand a precious medicine that extends life by at least thirty years.'

Yamamoto smiled and said leisurely, 'As far as I know, that's not the case.'

'Xu Han was demoted to Colonel, so that twenty-year-old Deputy Commander must be the newly appointed one, right?'

'Good tactic—using our hands to eliminate the opponent and also obtain the precious medicine.'

Xu Qiancai slammed the table and shouted, 'You planted a spy in our Deputy Commander's Office?!'

Yamamoto smiled and said, 'Don't rush; since we're negotiating, we should stay calm.'

'I can accept your trade and give the precious medicine, but I want deployment maps of at least three armies from Great Wu.'

Xu Qiancai's face turned uncertain, then he became completely passive, but thinking of his great-grandfather Xu Han's dying order, he gritted his teeth.

'Good! No problem! But you only have three days to kill Shen Qing—otherwise he'll enter North Cloud City!'

Yamamoto then smiled satisfiedly and said, 'Good, no problem.'

But just then, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.

'Who goes there?'

'How is that possible?'

A Japanese pirate rushed in from outside, shouting, 'Chief! The Embroidered Uniform Guard is everywhere outside—we're surrounded!'

'Which unit is the Embroidered Uniform Guard from?' Yamamoto turned to look at Xu Qiancai, but saw that Xu Qiancai's face was even paler than his own.

Yamamoto snorted, stepped out, drew his waist weapon and said, 'Just the Embroidered Uniform Guard? Follow me in breaking out! Our Empire is...'

Naturally, a golden arrow sounded together with his words; before Yamamoto could finish his bold speech, the golden arrow pierced his chest and pinned him to the wall.

Instantly, all the Japanese pirates fell into disarray.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard naturally wouldn't give them a chance to catch their breath; Zhang Shan, Pan Ruhai, and Pan Ruhuan led three hundred Embroidered Uniform Guard like a torrent, charging into Three Mountains Village from all directions.

In less than the time to finish a cup of tea, the Japanese pirates gave up resistance, all were captured and brought to the village center, naturally including Xu Qiancai.

Just then, a dull footsteps sounded; Shen Qing rode a White Tiger slowly in, his voice flat but revealing pure killing intent.

'Which of you is from the Embroidered Uniform Guard?'

As soon as those words were spoken, the body of the one kneeling before Xu Qiancai trembled violently.

His head, already lowered, bowed even lower—but how could such movement escape Shen Qing's notice?

Xu Qiancai felt a shadow appear before him, that cold voice like an evil ghost sounding in his ear.

'I found you!'